Hamas announced on Sunday that Edan Alexander, the last known living American hostage in Gaza, would be released as part of ongoing efforts to secure a ceasefire, reopen border crossings into the Israeli-blockaded enclave, and restore the flow of humanitarian aid. The Associated Press cited two Hamas officials who said the release would take place within 48 hours.
President Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, confirmed late Sunday that Hamas had agreed to the release as a gesture of goodwill toward the president, who is starting his visit to the Middle East this week.
Reuters reported that Witkoff also requested the return of the bodies of four additional American hostages who have not yet been returned to Israel.
Edan Alexander, the son of Yael and Adi and older brother to Mika and Roy, grew up in Tenafly, New Jersey. At 18, he made Aliyah and volunteered to serve in the IDF’s Golani Brigade. He lived with his grandparents in Tel Aviv and spent time at Kibbutz Hatzor, home to the core group of soldiers with whom he immigrated. In high school, Alexander was a competitive swimmer and an avid extreme sports enthusiast. He was kidnapped on the morning of October 7, a Saturday on which he was not scheduled to be on base.
According to Israeli media reports, Israel was not involved in the direct negotiations between the United States and Hamas. Israeli officials stated that there had been planning for a direct deal to secure Edan Alexander’s release, and noted that Qatar had exerted significant pressure on Hamas to produce a diplomatic achievement ahead of former President Trump’s upcoming visit. The officials assessed that Alexander’s release did not “close the door” on the possibility of a partial hostage deal. However, they also voiced concern that the development could increase pressure on Israel to accept a broader agreement under unfavorable terms.
The announcement of the first hostage release since the collapse of the ceasefire in March underscored Trump’s push to reinvigorate ceasefire negotiations—efforts that, according to observers, include pressuring Israel into a deal that could effectively halt, or even undermine, the Netanyahu government’s declared objective of eliminating Hamas as its top priority.
The Prime Minister’s Office issued the following statement:
The US has informed Israel of Hamas’s intention to release soldier Edan Alexander as a gesture to the Americans, without conditions or anything in exchange. The US has conveyed to Israel that this is expected to lead to negotiations for the release of hostages, according to the original Witkoff framework, which Israel has already accepted.
Some in Israel suggested the move was a sucker punch from Trump. The PM’s statement concluded:
Israel is preparing for the possibility that this effort will be implemented. In accordance with Israel’s policy, the negotiations will be held under fire, based on the commitment to achieve all of the objectives of the war.
The terrorist organization Hamas stated:
As part of the efforts of our mediating brothers to achieve a ceasefire, Hamas has been in contact with the American administration in recent days, and the movement has expressed great positivity on the issue. The release of Israeli soldier Edan Alexander, who holds dual American citizenship, will be part of the efforts to achieve a ceasefire, open the crossings, and allow aid to reach our people in the Gaza Strip.
Trump said on his social media platform Truth Social on Sunday evening:
This was a step taken in good faith towards the United States and the efforts of the mediators – Qatar and Egypt – to put an end to this very brutal war and return ALL living hostages and remains to their loved ones. Hopefully, this is the first of those final steps necessary to end this brutal conflict. I look very much forward to that day of celebration!
Khalil al-Hayyah, a senior Hamas leader in Gaza, said in a statement that the group is prepared to “immediately start intensive negotiations” aimed at reaching a final agreement for a long-term truce. The proposed deal, he said, would include a complete end to the war, the exchange of hostages for Palestinian security prisoners—including those with blood on their hands—and the transfer of governing authority in Gaza to an independent technocratic body.
